DrinkWise Preview: NBL24 - Round 14 Game 1 vs Sydney Kings

Melbourne United will look to bounce back in a big way in their first game of 2024 when they head on the road to face the Sydney Kings.

Despite a disappointing loss to the Cairns Taipans, Melbourne enter the game three games clear on top of the competition ladder ahead of the clash with the third-placed Kings.

United came away with the victory when the teams last met in November, overcoming a 15-point half-time deficit to run away with a 12-point win.

For Sydney, the Round 8 loss to Melbourne appeared to start a downward slide, having lost five of their last eight games.

PLAYER TO WATCH

While much of the attention went to United captain Chris Goulding for his 35-point performance last time against the Kings, Luke Travers’ sensational second half showing was equally impactful.

After putting up a goose egg in the first half, Travers was close to unstoppable across his next 18 minutes on the court, scoring 18 points to go along with six rebounds, two blocks, two assists and a steal.

A player that thrives in the open court, look for LT to take advantage of Sydney’s up-and-down game style and fuel United’s fast break.

KEY MATCHUP

Both Melbourne and Sydney boast import guards capable of changing the game coming off the bench in the form of Ian Clark and Denzel Valentine.

Each bringing their own NBA experience to their respective lineups, the pair have showcased their clutch ability of late, with Valentine scoring 29 points in the Kings win over Cairns, while Clark tallied 25 points in the Open Air Game.

Which of these two stars can provide the biggest boost off the bench will go a long way in determining who comes out of Sydney with the victory.

THE OTHER GUYS

Surrounding Valentine are Sydney’s pair of former All-NBL imports; Jaylen Adams and Dennis Hogg, both of which are capable of going off in any game.

Their offensive output is complemented well by the versatile defence brought by Australian trio Jaylin Galloway, Jordan Hunter and Alex Toohey.

One huge X-factor in the matchup will be how accurate the duo of Kuot Noi and Jonah Bolden can be from beyond the arc.

So far this season, the pair have combined for 3.1 three-pointers per game on over 40% shooting.

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GAME INFO

Who: Melbourne United vs Sydney Kings

Tip-off: 7:30pm AEDT, Thursday January 4, 2024

Where: Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney

Watch: ESPN via Kayo and Foxtel